From the opening Wurlitzer-sounding guitar on "Tears of Rage", to the closing bars of "I shall be released", this is the most beautiful, textured, and consistently great album I've ever heard. Take any song of the album, break it down into components and listen to all the subtle instruments weave their way into such a masterpiece. This is my favorite album of all time.

It's Jimi Hendrix for one, and it's Hendrix's masterpiece. Not one dull moment, and able to go from impossibly spacey (1983...) to scorching blues (Come on) and everything in between. And when Hendrix attempts it, he succeeds like no other. Plus it features the greatest Bob Dylan cover of all time.

Honestly, from 1970 - 1975, any of Black Sabbath's first 6 albums could be in this spot, but if I had to choose my absolute favorite, it might be Sabotage. However, this is one of those choices that changes day to day, it's hard to pinpoint a favorite album from such a consistently great first five years, not to mention my favorite band.

The Grateful Dead are another of my favorites, and from 1969 - 1972 released a wholes string of great albums, so it comes down to this being my favorite collection of songs, aside from the awful "What's become of the baby" which the rest more than makes up for.

The "White Album" of alternative rock. Maybe to some, that's not a huge compliment, but to me it is. Ambitious, varied, and sincere in an un-sincere time (1984). Most double lp's are filled with self indulgent studio bloat, this is just the opposite.